Tutorials and Laboratory Sessions

Tutorials and labs provide you with an opportunity to try own ideas and develop your experimental skills. One important reference between these two types of practical classes lies in the way in which you use out-of-class time. The benefit you get fro- a tutorial depends greatly on the work you have done before the meeting: reading about the topic to be covered, turning over _­mind the key issues and problems, maybe speculating on the likely to be raised and the questions that must be answered ration for lab sessions may be less important; the more important independent work follows the session when you reflect methods of the experiment, the findings, and the significance these, and then write up your lab report.

The most significant point they have in common is the necessity for you to be actively involved in the tutorial discussion In Indonesia there is a sarcastic way of referring to courses as requiring only the six D's: Datang (to come).Daftar (to register), Duduk (to sit), Dengar (to listen), Diam (to be silent), and Duit (to get paid allowances). Such an approach to labs and -would produce little effective learning. If you are poorly join in the work, or too shy to take part in the discussion to ask questions about points you do not understand or reluctant to answer questions and risk being wrong, then much of the session, both for you and your fellow students, is wasted.

Participation in tutorials and labs can be terrifying at first for overseas students unaccustomed to this style of learning. Our In­donesian student again sets out her own experience:

At first, attending seminars and discussion groups was a nightmare because class participation determined part of the grades. First of all, in high school I had been trained to be a passive recipient. Teachers were not to be questioned, I was not to air my views, and never was class discussion allowed. Then, in college, I had to say something in class. That in itself was a difficult hurdle to overcome. But, on top of it, I was very unsure of myself about my comprehension of the read­ing assignment. Moreover, I was not used to presenting arguments

and I did not know how to reply to challenges. Basically, I was afraid to sound stupid in front of my classmates. I would have been ashamed and would not know how to behave.

Questions about points

Most overseas students